Examining the World War I Era

Feb 6, 2018
gweber

The theme of the 2018 Taber Museum Lecture Series will focus on the era of World War I, as the 100th anniversary of the end of the war approaches.Traditionally, Armistice Day (now more commonly referred to as Veterans Day) is recognized on 11 November. In 1918, the armistice was signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I. It took effect at eleven o’clock in the morning—the “eleventh
hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”.

Among the invited guests are David Shuey who
portrays Commander of the American Expeditionary
Forces General ‘Black Jack’ Pershing. He will be appearing
on Sunday, June 17 (Father’s Day).

The Historical Society is fortunate to have received
the financial backing by a number of VFW Posts and
American Legions throughout the County. The Edward
J. Smith Post, located in Muncy, has been extremely
generous in sponsoring several lectures. The Post is
named for Corporal Edward Jackson Smith who was
a member of the 56th Pioneer Infantry Regiment. Born
in Lairdsville in 1894, he was the son of Andrew Jackson
Smith and his wife Elizabeth Opp Smith. Unfortunately,
Corporal Smith was killed on October 31, 1918
and is buried in the St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt,
Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.

The Bower-Decker Post 251 American Legion in
Montgomery has also contributed to our appeal. Located
on Broad Street in Montgomery, the American
Legion honors two local heroes.

Freeman W. Bower enlisted October 11, 1917. He
was assigned to Company B, 6th Engineers, October
16, 1917 and departed as a member of the American
Expeditionary Forces, December 4, 1917. He was killed
in action at the Somme River, France, March 30, 1918.
Mr. Decker was a soldier during World War II.

The Garrett Cochran American Legion Post, Williamsport
was the first American Legion established
in Pennsylvania. According to the Legion’s website,
“
The Legion was founded on March 15, 1919, during a
caucus convened in Paris, France, by Lt. Col. Theodore
Roosevelt, son of President Teddy Roosevelt. One of the
colonel’s friends with whom he talked about his plans
was Carl A. Schug, later a district attorney of Lycoming
County. Mr. Schug was enthusiastic about the idea
of a veteran’s organization and, although hospitalized in
France, backed it strongly… They faced the problem of
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh vying for Post No. 1. At this
point Mr. Spangle suggested the honor of the first unit be
given to ‘a Central Pennsylvania city’ with Nos. 2 and 3
going to the metropolitan cities… His idea was endorsed
with the result that Williamsport became the home of
Pennsylvania’s first American Legion Post; Mr. Schug was
chosen first commander; Mr. Spangle, the first adjutant;
with Mr. Houck and Carl W. Herdic being prominent in
organizational efforts.
”

It was named in honor of Garrett Cochran. Garrett
Cochran (August 26, 1876 – July 8, 1918) was an
American football player and coach. He played college
football at Princeton University from 1894 to 1897 at
the end position, and was twice named to the College
Football All-American Team. Cochran served as
the head football coach at the University of California,
Berkeley (1898–1899), the United States Naval Academy
(1900) and Princeton University (1902), compiling
a career head coaching record of 29–5–3. In
1971, Cochran was posthumously inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame. During World War I,
Cochran enlisted in the United States Army and served
in France as a lieutenant in the field artillery. He developed
pneumonia and died on a ship returning to the
United States on July 8, 1918.

We are extremely grateful to the Leroy O. Buck
Post, Michael Seitzer, Quartermaster, for contributing
to our Annual Support Campaign. Leroy O. Buck was
a local hero from World War II. Born on January 27,
1920 and raised in Duboistown, Leroy was the son of
garage repairman George Buck and his wife Dorothy
(nee King). Achieving the rank of Second Lieutenant in
the U.S. Army Air Forces, he was attached to the 780th
Bomber Squadron, 465th Bomber Group. He received
an air medal with two oak leaf clusters before missing
in action, and presumed dead, on 24 August 1944. His
name appears on the tablets of the missing at Sicily-
Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy. There is
also a stone in his memory in the Elimsport Cemetery.

In addition to the funding by the American Legion
and VFW Posts, we await word if we have received
grant money from the Woodcock Foundation for the
Appreciation of the Arts. The Foundation has funded
past lecture series at the museum.